Soko G-4 Super Galeb
G-4 Super Galeb | |
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A Serbian Air Force G-4 Super Galeb | |
Role | Military trainer aircraft |
Manufacturer | SOKO |
Designer | Aeronautical Technical Institute |
First flight | 17 July 1978 |
Introduction | 1983 |
Status | In service |
Primary user | Serbian Air Force |
Produced | 1984–1991 |
Number built | 85[1] |
Unit cost |
$4.2 million (in 2010 U.S. dollars)[2]
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The Soko G-4 Super Galeb (English: Super Seagull) is a single-engine, advanced jet trainer and light ground-attack aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Technical Institute and manufactured by SOKO of Yugoslavia.[3]
Contents
Development
The G-4 Super Galeb was developed as a replacement for the G-2 Galeb, which had been the most commonly used jet trainer aircraft of the Yugoslav Air Force up until 1990. The first of two prototypes was completed by early 1978. Following completion of the initial testing phase, the first flight was achieved on 17 July 1978 and the first of six pre-production aircraft on 17 December 1980. These and the first prototype were designated G-4 PPP, and had fixed tailplanes with inset elevators and no anhedral.[4] Production examples (and the second prototype) were designated G-4 and featured an all-moving anhedral tailplane and comprehensive avionics improvements. The G-4 first flew in 1983 and has been ordered in large numbers for the Yugoslav Air Force. The G-4 features a low wing monoplane design with slightly tapered wings. The aircraft is 12.25m long and 4.3m high, with a wingspan of 9.88m.[4] It weighs 3,250 kg when empty and can carry 1,882 kg of fuel. The aircraft is fitted with a short nose cone, rounded fuselage, conventional empennage, semicircular air intakes, vertical tailfins, rudder, ailerons, horizontal stabilisers and fuel tanks at the square tips. The G-4 its performance is considerably improved by the introduction of a more powerful version of the Rolls-Royce Viper 632-46 turbojet.[4] The cockpit is fitted with two ejection seats with the rear seat slightly elevated to render all round clear visibility.
Operational history
The G-4 saw some combat during the Yugoslav Wars. In total, three G-4s were shot down, all pilots ejecting safely.[citation needed]
During the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, seven G-4s of the Leteće zvezde aerobatics team were destroyed at Golubovci Air Base.[citation needed]
Variants
- G-4
- Advanced jet trainer and light ground-attack aircraft.
- G-4Š
- Unarmed jet trainer.
- G-4T
- Target puller.
- G-4M
- Upgraded avionics and hardpoints, missile rail added to wingtips. Avionics include a Zrak ENP-MG4 HUD incorporating a Rudi Cajavec ENS-MG4 electronic sight, a gyro platform, multi function displays, and an optional chaff/flare dispensers. The inner hardpoints are rated at 500 kg, while the outer ones are rated at 350 kg, giving a maximum disposable load of 1,800 kg. Normal takeoff weight is 4,971 kg as a trainer, with a maximum takeoff weight of 6,400 kg in the attacker configuration, the maximum speed in "clean" configuration is 865 km/h at 10,000 m and 900 km/h at 4,000 m, with a ferry range of 2,900 km with drop tanks; range of 1,800 km with standard fuel, reduced to 1,200 km with cannon pack, four BL755 cluster bombs and two AAMs, maximum rate of climb at sea level of 1,800 m per minute, and a service ceiling of 12,500 m.[5]
- G-4MD
- Further development of G-4M upgrade including: LCD flight screens, HOTAS, HUD, integrated mission computers, distance measuring equipment, GPS-based navigation systems, identification friend or foe, navcomm units, mission records, and VHF omni-range and instrument landing systems. Integration of guided weapons, countermeasures and targeting systems is also scheduled as part of the upgrade.[6]
Operators
- Myanmar Air Force operates 4 G-4 aircraft[7]
- Montenegrin Air Force operates 4 G-4s and has 14 more in storage[8]
- Serbian Air Force operates 23 G-4 aircraft.[7]
- ZPZ Enterprise operates 2 G-4 aircraft for civil purpose.
- Yugoslav Air Force operated 77 G-4 aircraft.
Notable accidents
- On 24 September 2008, while practicing for an upcoming airshow a Serbian Air Force G-4 crashed at Batajnica Air Base near Belgrade, killing the pilot and a soldier on the ground.[9]
Specifications (G-4M)
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993-94[10]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 12.25 m (40 ft 2 in)
- Wingspan: 9.88 m (32 ft 5 in)
- Height: 4.30 m (14 ft 1 in)
- Wing area: 19.5 m2 (210 sq ft)
- Aspect ratio: 5.01
- Empty weight: 3,250 kg (7,165 lb)
- Gross weight: 4,760 kg (10,494 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 6,330 kg (13,955 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 1,882 kg (maximum internal and external fuel)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Viper 632-46 , 17.8 kN (4,000 lbf) thrust
Performance
- Maximum speed: 920 km/h (572 mph; 497 kn) clean @ 6,000 m (13,000 ft)
- Cruising speed: 550 km/h (342 mph; 297 kn) @ 6,000m
- Stall speed: 180 km/h (112 mph; 97 kn) dirty
- Never exceed speed: 921 km/h (572 mph; 497 kn) 0.9M @ 11,000m
- Range: 1,900 km (1,181 mi; 1,026 nmi) Internal fuel
- Combat range: 1,300 km (808 mi; 702 nmi) with cannon pack and four BL755 cluster bombs (combat radius 485 km)
- Ferry range: 2,500 km (1,553 mi; 1,350 nmi) maximum internal and external fuel
- Service ceiling: 12,850 m (42,159 ft) Service ceiling (Altitude at which maximum climb rate reduces to 100 ft/min)
- g limits: -4.2 to +8
- Rate of climb: 31 m/s (6,100 ft/min)
- Time to altitude: 6 minutes to 8,000m
Armament
- 1x GSh-23L 23 mm cannon in ventral gun pod.
- 2x Inner pylons 350 kg (770 lb)capacity.
- 2x Outer pylons 250 kg (550 lb) capacity.
- 1x Centreline pylon 400 kg (880 lb) capacity (G-4M).
- 2x Wingtip missile rails (G-4M).
Avionics
Standard communication and navigation equipment, plus (fire control and weapons management) Ferranti ISIS D-282 gyro sight, and (defensive sensors and systems) Iskra SD-1 RWR; there is also provision for a reconnaissance pod with cameras and an IR line scanner.
Aircraft on display
- Serbia
- Museum of Aviation (Belgrade) in Belgrade - There are four Soko G-4 Galebs on display.[11]
See also
- Leteće zvezde (flying stars - aerobatics team)
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- AIDC AT-3
- Aero L-39 Albatros
- Aermacchi MB-339
- BAE Hawk
- CASA C-101
- Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet
- FMA IA 63 Pampa
- IAR 99
- PZL I-22 Iryda
References
- ↑ Super Galeb G-4
- ↑ Super Galeb G-4
- ↑ https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/row/galeb.htm
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 SOKO Super Galeb G-4 (Super Seagull) Light Atack/Advanced Trainer
- ↑ "Serbia." airserbia.com. Retrieved: 24 July 2009.
- ↑ Salinger, Igor. "Serbian air force targets fleet modernisation." flightglobal.com, 11 August 2008. Retrieved: 24 July 2009.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lambert 1993, pp. 587–589.
- ↑ Muzej Ratnog Vazduhoplovstva at aviationmuseum.eu
Bibliography
- Gunston, Bill. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes: The Development and Specifications of All Active Military Aircraft. New York: MetroBooks, 1995. ISBN 1-58663-207-8.
- Gunston, Bill. Encyclopedia Of World Air Power. London: Crescent, 1987. ISBN 0-517-49969-X.
- Lambert, Mark, ed. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993-94. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Data Division, 1993. ISBN 0-7106-1066-1.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Soko G-4 Super Galeb. |
- Aerosvet Magazine; (Entry from the International Directory of Design)
- G-4 Super Galeb No.23405
- Articles with unsourced statements from October 2012
- Articles with unsourced statements from December 2010
- Commons category link is locally defined
- Use dmy dates from March 2011
- Soko aircraft
- Yugoslav attack aircraft 1970–1979
- Yugoslav military trainer aircraft 1970–1979
- VTI - Military Technical Institute Belgrade